Imagine driving to school and parking in the parking lot somewhat ready to go to school and all you see are the stairs torn apart and not there anymore. You realize you have to walk up Agony Hill, the hill on the side of Martz Hall, instead and your day is already off to a bad start. This is what some students thought the day they came back this school year.  

“It has definitely been an inconvenience for everyone”, said Principal Mrs. Hummel. “Supply issues with the steel portion of the steps caused many delays. Once everything is finished, it will be well worth the wait.”

The remodeling of the Martz Hall parking lot stairs was supposed to start around the time of COVID-19 as part of a grant project along with Martz Hall’s roof and replacing of Martz Hall’s parking lot but COVID delayed it. The stairs project started August 9, 2022.  As of now, the school has to wait for the decking of the landing to be finished and welded. The railings are already set so it should be finished soon. 

“I feel like it’s an inconvenience for students, said Senior Paige Deatrich. It would’ve been much better to do it in the summertime but I understand there was a delay that was out of the schools control. It wouldn’t kill us to walk up a hill instead, it’s just easier to take the stairs.”

Many students don’t like having to walk up a hill to school every morning, but it is a good exercise to start your day. They much rather walk up stairs to school but it is not totally impossible or out of their way to walk up a hill. 

“I am excited for the new steps at Martz Hall parking lot to be finished, said Junior Abbey Garrity. Although it is taking longer than expected I know once they are done all of the students will be happy that we no longer have to walk up Agony every morning.”